Synacor connects 14 cable operators with NBCU’s Olympic coverage

Synacor’s entitlement platform will get a work out when it enables NBC Universal’s 2010 Winter Olympics broadband coverage with 14 cable operators.

The Vancouver Winter Olympics are slated to start tomorrow and run through Feb. 28. NBC Universal (NBCU) is offering additional coverage through its “Olympics Online Connect” effort on NBCOlympics.com

Fourteen cable system operators will use Synacor’s offerings to provide their customers access to Olympics Online Connect, where their video subscribers can watch exclusive Olympic Winter Games coverage on NBCOlympics.com.

Specifically, Synacor will serve as a single integration point between NBC Universal and the cable operators in order to provide the video subscribers access to more than 1,000 hours of NBC's coverage of event competition on NBCOlympics.com, including more than 300 hours of live events and more than 400 hours of on-demand-encore replays.

Synacor estimated that it would be working with more than 9 million cable customers during the Olympics Online Connect coverage.

"NBC's Olympics Online Connect is a great example of the media industry coming together to distribute high quality content online," said Ron Frankel, president and CEO of Synacor. "We're pleased to be working with NBC Universal and its distribution partners as they explore new ways to bring value to their subscribers."

After identifying their cable television provider, subscribers will be directed to enter their provider login credentials, which will be confirmed via Synacor’s single sign in authentication systems. Authorized subscribers will receive immediate access to the requested content, while subscribers who don't currently have login information will be directed to a sign up process.